ABERDEEN v APOLLON
Andrew Considine insists Aberdeen’s clash with Apollon Limassol is the ideal chance to smash through their Europa League glass ceiling.
The Dons defender will find himself in familiar territory this week when Pittodrie hosts the Cypriot side in the third qualifying round.
It’s a stage that for the past three seasons has delivered an unhappy ending with Real Sociedad, Kairat Almaty and Maribor sending them out.
But Considine is conv inced they are more than c a pa b l e o f bucking that trend by c l a imi n g a play- off place then a spot in the groups after putting Siroki Brijeg to the sword 2- 0 in Bosnia in midweek.
The 30-year-old said: “I don’t know much about Apollon but it’s absolutely a golden chance to try to get to that next stage. I’m sure they are thinking exactly the same thing.
“If we can up our performance in the home game on Thursday, which we have to, then hopefully we can get a performance and a couple of goals to go with it.
“I know it’s going to be even hotter and tougher in Cyprus than it was in Bosnia.
“We have been to some really tough places in Europe and achieved results so there is no reason why we can’t do so again.
“I hope we are better equipped to do well in Europe this season. “Last season we had an incredible squad and enjoyed a tremendous campaign. “The boys recruited by the gaffer have certainly matched the expectations of what he has asked for. Another week or two before we go to Cyprus will certainly benefit us.”
Aberdeen overturned a 1-1 away goal deficit to add the scalp of Siroki to Rijeka, Ventspils, Groningen and Daugava Riga on Europa League excursions.
And Considine believes the result provides a boost not just for Aberdeen but the national game on the back of Rangers and St Johnstone exiting the competition at the first hurdle.
He said: “It was important for the whole of Scottish football that we managed to get through, there’s no doubt about that.
“But we also had something to prove to ourselves as a team.
“In the first leg against Siroki at Pittodrie we didn’t show just how good a team we can be.
“We may have had to wait until the 70th minute to get a goal but we kept them at bay at a ground that is a very tough place to get a win. It’s a very tight s t a d ium w ith a